I was just about to recommend the Fuji. That was a great choice even though all of the bikes are pretty nice. I hope that you really enjoy the sport and ride a ton. For the record, there are probably more people than you think that ride in your area. Once you start riding it is amazing how many people that you will come across that ride frequently. I was not aware of how many people ride in my town until I hit the road myself. I live in a rural town in SE Georgia so trust me when I say that it is small.